Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-05-28
10 Tunnel ,he Hudson.

The Pennsylvania Railroad Co. has for
many years been endea voring to find q
means by which TO reach the heart Of New
York city 1t has been found to be utterly
impracticable to bridge the Hudson river,
as il would interfere seriously with the COM
merce Of the port Of New York, and apart
from this the cost Of terminals such as would
be needed in New York city above ground
would be so fabulous as TO make it out OF
the question. The company after two years
OF patient study of the situation has conclu-
ded that the only means Of accomplishing
this object is by an underground route, and
this would require q tremendous outlay of
money, but it is intended 10 Tighten the bur-
den OF expense by making all the lines Of
railway entering Jersey City party TO the
expense. The plan contemplates two
single track tunnels under the Hud-
son river, one for the incoming aud one
for outgoing trains, this plan having been
selected because Of the impossibility OF coll-
sion. Each Of these will be lined with brick
thirty inches thick, laid in hydraulic cement
and encased in iron q quarter of an inch in
thickness. The measurements OF these tun-
nels will be sixteen feet clear in width by
seventeen feet in height. The approach to
the tunnels on the Jersey City side will be
near Jersey avenue, and the declivty to
under ground will be $500 feet back from
the bulkhead with grade Of two feet in
100 In New York city the tunnels will be
almost directly under Washington Square,
that portion OF the city having been chosen
because Of the absence Of houses overhead.
An excavation will he made there that will
occupy as much space as does the square
= =, ti,a to linlot IN
with electricity and give it all the convent.
ences and comforts of an above ground sta
tion. Passengers will he enabled to reach
the surface by means Of powerful elevators
or staircases 1t is also proposed to have
the tunnels lighted by electricity and to have
telegraphic and telephone communication
through them. The approach to the tunnel
on the New York side will be upon down
grade three feet in the hundred, beginning
at Washington Square, for half the dis
ta3ce TO the river, where there will be
q sharp ascent to get up under the river bed.
The length Of the tunnels from shaft to
shaft will be $500 feet, and it is calculated
that it will take two years working regular
~ 10 complete them both. Tue approach
on the Jersey City side will be 1000 feet and
on the New York side 400, making the TO-.
tal length Of tunnel and approaches frac-
ton less than two ana one,half miles The
calculation OF the engineers is that there
will not be less than twelve feet Of earth be-.
tween the top of the tunnel and the he'd Of
the river. The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany il giving the matter attention finds
that the work is one peafectly practicable.
The estimates made of the cost OF the work
show that the expense OF the terminals alone
will be $1,000 GOO; land in New York for
tunnels will be S3,0OOOOO and the terminal
improvements will bs S5,O00,O0O, making
the total cost of the operation 81, 100000.
Itis reported that the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company has bought the charter of the com.
pany which is now at work upon tunnel
under the Hudson river and will operate
under that. This charter, it is said, gives
them the right to go under ground in any
part OF New York or Brooklyn. 1t is re-
ported that no attempt will be made to util-
ize this old tunnel, although considerable
work was done upon it at an expenditure
of over 81 100000.